Madam, - Denis O'Brien fears that we are becoming a communist state. Under Mary Harney, Tánaiste and "real Taoiseach" (?), not a chance.
For those waiting for their school to be repaired or replaced, for those waiting for a by-pass, (heart, not road), or even waiting for a bus, this may too have crossed their minds.
Mr O'Brien has his own reasons for being cheesed off with the way some people perceive him and his wealth. But I can't be the only one to have a pain in my face from looking at pictures of him in the social pages of the press, and of other noted multimillionaires who don't live here but do their social strutting here.
Yes, they have a perfect right to put themselves outside the tax zone, but they should see themselves as many others do, as outsiders.
There's the newspaper baron, the packaging king, the professional gambler, the financier and the mobile phone mogul. Excuse me if I've forgotten anyone. And as for his remarks that we have negative attitudes towards government and politicians, these alone show how out of touch he is already.
Respect for politicians has to be earned, a bit like profit. Yours etc.
KATHRYN MULREADY,
Calderwood Road,
Dublin 9
Madam, - Denis O'Brien's comments (October 23rd) are very, very strange indeed. The 20 per cent Capital Gains Tax, of which I am a grateful beneficiary, is hardly evidence of a state drifting towards communism.
While there certainly is a growing negative cultural attitude towards Irish entrepreneurs becoming tax exiles, I have found no evidence of begrudgery towards entrepreneurs in general.
If Denis is not prepared to cough up the full 20 per cent, would he kindly let us know what he can afford to pay so we can welcome him back home to our great little country. Whether the "shite" that he refers to is going on inside Ireland or in those utopian wonderlands that tax exiles so admire ... let the people decide. - Yours etc.,
STEWART KENNY,
Anglesea Road,
Dublin 4
... ...
Madam, - It is a 20-year-old cliche, but last week, between Mr O'Brien's outburst and the posturing in the North, it is still true.
"The only thing wrong with Ireland is there are far too many people willing to die for her and not enough willing to pay tax." - Yours etc.,
FRANK NEENAN,
Tullow Road,
Carlow